1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to smart or intelligent electrical connectors and more specifically to a compact connector assembly including an inner printed circuit board on which is mounted a terminal block positioned for close electrical connection with terminals of mating connectors.
2. Discussion of Related Art
It is known in the art to integrate control electronics within an electrical connector to provide load control at strategic locations at or closer to the load rather than at a more centralized location in a control circuit module. This can reduce the number and length of wires, and the number of connectors. Examples of these locations would include within vehicle doors at lock actuators, side-mirror remote manipulators, and window-operating motors. Electronics are embedded inside the in-line connection system for power switching and controls. Once the connection is made at the final assembly, the wiring becomes “smart” or “intelligent.” The smart connectors eliminate the need for a separate control circuit module and the necessary extra wire, and directly replace connectors not having control electronics.
The typical mechanical structure of these smart connectors has electrical terminals mating at edges of an internal printed circuit board (PCB). One approach to adding mating connectors to a PCB has been to first place all the electronic components on a surface of the PCB in electrical contact with copper circuit traces and then route the circuit traces to the edge of the board. Co-pending, commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/624,073, filed Jul. 21, 2003, illustrates this concept. The PCB has flush edge contacts. Spring portions on terminals in each of the mating connectors engage the edge contacts. Another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,698. The circuit traces extend onto male blades projecting outward from the very edge of the circuit board. The engagement with female terminals of a connecting wire harness has to be made beyond the extreme edge of the board, increasing the size of the smart connector assembly.